1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for television conference and more particularly to an apparatus which includes a picture monitoring device and other peripheral devices such as a video device.
2. Discussion of the Background
Generally, in a television conference system, a plurality of apparatuses for television conference, hereinafter called apparatus, placed at two or more locations a long distance apart from each other, are connected via ISDN (Integrated Service Digital Network) or digital line. A plurality of attendants can join a conference by using their own terminals.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional apparatus. A main CRT device 1 is provided for displaying an aspect of other terminal attendants. A video device 2 is provided for taking a motion picture of attendants. A data transmission unit 3 is adopted so as to have a plurality of terminals exchanging data reciprocally, through a line. A main unit device 4 is for controling the entire function of the apparatus. These main CRT device 1, video device 2, data transmission unit 3, and main unit device 4 are accommodated in a cabinet 5.
A motion picture of the attendants is obtained by the video device 2 on each of the terminals. The picture data taken by the video device 2 is sent to the other attendance terminal and the motion picture is displayed on the main CRT device 1 of the other attendance terminal. In this way, an aspect of attendants at each terminal is displayed on the main CRT device 1 of the other attendance terminal, reciprocally in real time, thus the conference can be managed smoothly.
Generally in a conference figures and tables prepared beforehand may be displayed with an overhead projector, or a sample, which is the subject of the conference, may be displayed. These performances are made so as to obtain smooth conference management. In order to achieve the same effects in a television conference, a material picturing device is used to display samples, figures or tables in real time. The material picturing device includes, as shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, a support bar 10, a leg portion 11 to hold the support bar 10, a manuscript table 12 on which a material is placed, lighting devices 13 and 14, a video device 15 to take a picture of the material or samples. The manuscript table 12 is held in the middle of the support bar 10 so as to be parallel to the floor. The lighting devices 13 and 14 are fixed to the support bar 10 in a position higher than that of the manuscript table 12, and light up the material or samples placed on the manuscript table 12. The video device 15 is fixed to the support bar 10 in a position higher than that of the lighting devices 13 and 14, and takes a picture of a material or sample. Accordingly, the picture taken by this material picturing device does not have an undesired shade.
In the above case, the video data obtained by the video device 15 is sent to the other attendance terminal instead of the video data obtained by the video device 2. Then the picture of a material or sample will be displayed on the main CRT device 1 of the other attendance terminal. Therefore, a picture of figures and tables or samples can be presented to attendants of the other terminal side, and thus a smooth management of the conference can be achieved.
However, the construction of the conventional apparatus requires space, in addition to that required for the main cabinet 5, to place the material picturing device. Accordingly, the conventional apparatus has an inconvenience in that it requires a wide space because the entire size of the apparatus becomes large. Furthermore, when moving the apparatus, it is necessary to move the main cabinet 5 and the material picturing device together. Thus there is an inconvenience in that the preparation requires time and labor.